Letters to the editor for Saturday, January 19, 2013

A letter by Barbara Kidney of the Town of Newburgh published Jan. 16 had an incorrect percentage concerning the Republican plan to address the deficit. Here is the corrected version:

A letter by Barbara Kidney of the Town of Newburgh published Jan. 16 had an incorrect percentage concerning the Republican plan to address the deficit. Here is the corrected version:

So the Republican plan to address the deficit is to continue to tax the shrinking middle class and the growing working poor at rates up to 35 percent and cut the earned benefits of Social Security and Medicare.

Meanwhile, millionaires and billionaires do not get taxed beyond 35 percent on earned income, and taxed far less on their more common means of increasing wealth via capital gains. Back in the 1940s, wealthier citizens were taxed at 90 percent rates for income past a certain point. Deficit solved, middle class strong and growing, economy booming.

Guess Americans were smarter back then, and perhaps some wealthy Americans were patriotic and happy to give back to their country.

People in Warwick are talking about leaving the area over possible school closings? Where are they going? I'm guessing another country, because you they obviously haven't heard, or refuse to believe, that this one is in a recession.

What exactly do you propose? That the rest of the state subsidize a low-enrollment district, so that Warwick can maintain what you consider an acceptable class size?

I grew up in Middletown, and the only class I can remember being in that was under 40 students was in-school suspension. This whole sense of entitlement and "It takes a village to raise a child" mentality is exactly what is wrong with today's society. It does not take a village — it takes a parent.

If a child wants to learn and pays attention, that child will learn, regardless if there are 10 or 100 students in class. We have no children, yet we have been paying school taxes all of our adult lives. Where is the fairness or parity in that?

New York is the highest-taxed state in the union. Services have been deteriorating for decades. Either wrap your head around that, or please get out.

Shawn Young

Middletown

I write this letter in hopes of maybe helping addressing security in our schools.

I have read many articles on ideas of having police officers, and now maybe retired police officers in our schools. I believe this to be a great idea.

But how about giving the opportunity for employment to our veterans, many of whom have come back from overseas and find retaining employment to be difficult. These men and women have helped to protect us — how about they help us locally?

This is also another great way for the younger generation to get to know these men and women and how brave they truly are.

Dana Camporeale

Newburgh

Warwick schools brace for "dire" cuts. I am always amazed and wonder where the parents stand on education when students fight for athletic director positions and sports.

I'd love to see those same students and their parents fight for classroom teachers. We are a nation of dreamers if we think sports are more important than competing in a spelling bee.

Come on, kids, get your education and practice sports on your own dime, not at the expense of taxpayers.